


Youth

by Jumalika



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Children, Angst, BE SAFE KIDS, FROM CHAPTER 4 ON NO MORE TRIGGER STUFF, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, I think I'll add more as the story goes on, M/M, Pedophilia, Rape, Rape/Non-con Elements, Swimming, TRIGGER STUFF IT'S ONLY IN CHAP 3, Tickling, Underage Rape/Non-con, i don't know what to tag, slight use of violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2015-07-28
Packaged: 2018-03-24 18:28:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3779371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jumalika/pseuds/Jumalika
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin and Haru are spending most of their summer holidays at the swimming pool. Their substitute swimming teacher doesn't seem like a good person. Something bad is going to happen. Will they be able to overcome those difficulties?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Strange Occurrence

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there! This is my first work, I really hope that you'll like it! The summary is quite shitty, I'm not too good at doing that stuff, I hope the actual fic is better. The first two chapters will be really short I'm sorry, but the following ones should be a bit longer!  
> If you see any grammar error or if you didn't understand something let me know!

It was summer, when it happend. I remember it because neither Nagisa or Makoto where at home, because they both were on a trip somewhere with their family. Only me and Haru stayed here, me because my family was saving money for my journey to Australia, and Haru because he didn't feel like going, so his parents left him to keep the house. We met each other almost everyday at the swimming pool, even when we didn't have swimming lessons we would go there to relax and cool off from the heat.  
One evening our substitute swimming trainer (the actual one went on a holiday too) asked me and Haru to stay there a little more than the others cause he was going to give us a tip to improve our abilities.  
"Hey Haru, why do you think he asked only us to stay more? I mean, ok we're the best of the class but it would be fairer if he asked everyone to stay don't you think?"  
"Dunno"  
I snickered  
"Talking to you is amazing, you know that, Haru?"  
He turned towards me  
"What do you mean by that?"  
"Heh nothing..."  
"Rin.."  
"Calm down! I was just kidding!"  
I laughed, and Haru turned again with his back towards me.  
_Damn does this guy even know what humor is?_  
Just then the trainer entered the swimming hall, we saluted him respectfully, and then I immediately asked  
"So what is it that we have to do to become even better?"  
Haru glared at me, and I smiled back to him  
"What'cha have to do? Hmm I'm still not so sure 'bout it, lemme see.. Stand straight both of ya"  
We did as were told, and the teacher started walking in circles around us humming to himself.  
"Hmm yes very nice indeed, ya both seem to have real good bodies ya know?"  
We probably had a very confused face at that point, because he started off laughing  
"And pretty faces too! Ahaha"  
I didn't like not one bit where this was going, so I tried to get us out of there as soon as we could  
"Hum so, what do we have to do?"  
He laughed again  
"What'cha have to do? Oh boy you have a nice personality too! Ahahah! Anyway I can't still tell ya, another time boys!"  
He waved us off and started going away  
"Wait what? Why did you make us stay if you aren't gonna say anything useful!"  
I shouted. He stopped and turned towards us, I gulped loudly  
"Oh you'll see quite soon boys"

  
We were changing clothes in the locker room after a shower, when, strangely enough, Haru started a conversation  
"Rin you're strangely not speaking"  
"What's that? You miss my voice little dolphin?"  
He turned around, blushing probably. I chuckled.  
"Just kidding. I was just thinking.."  
"About what?"  
"That old man. Maybe it was just my impression, but he seemed super creepy, and I have a bad feeling about this thing"  
He stayed silent for a while, and then  
"You may be right, I got a strange feeling from him too."  
We finished packing the rest of our stuff in silence, and then exited the building, with chilling evening hair brushing against us, heading towards our homes. The mood was heavy so I tried changing subject to get our minds off what happened.  
"Man, I wonder how Nagisa and Makoto are doing! You know where did they go?"  
"Makoto went to Tokyo, Nagisa went in France I think"  
"WOAH FRANCE? REALLY?! That's awesome!"  
"You think so?"  
"Absolutely! Like it's so far away, and everything is different from here! But wait, can he talk french?"  
"I think his mom can, he once said that she had French origins"  
"That's even more awesome! Do you have any place you would like to go to?"  
"No I don't... Do you?"  
With sparkling eyes I exclaimed  
"Australia!" Still excited thinking that one day I'll really go there I turned towards him hopping "And since you don't know where to go I'll bring you there with me one day!"  
His eyes went wide for a second and then he turned his face. I went in front of him walking backwards so I could see his face  
"Aww blushing again Nanase?"  
He glared at me with irritated eyes and then turned away again  
"Shut up"  
"Aw come on look at me, I'm right in front of you Haru! Hey lo--"  
I tripped on something and was going to fall, but then a fierce grab stopped me mid-air  
"You should watch where you're going"  
I looked up and Haru had his tight grip around my forearm. His eyes seemed so cold.  
_Did I make him mad?_  
"Are we gonna stay like this all night or are you actually gonna get up and start walking again?"  
_Yup definitely made him angry_  
I brought myself back on my feet and started walking next to him. I felt bad for making him angry and now the mood was heavy once again. I sighed.

  
We arrived at the crossroads where we were gonna part ways, without saying anything else, but once there we both stopped. I held my eyes low, I felt guilty for making him angry. I looked at the night sky.  
_Why do I have to be so stupid? I have to apologize at least.._  
"I'll think about it"  
He suddenly spoke  
"Huh?"  
"Going to Australia, I'll think about it."  
I remained silent for some seconds, cause on the moment I didn't have the faintest idea of what he was saying, then I realized he was referring to the promise I made him to bring him to Australia with me.  
_So he isn't mad. Man this guy is so puzzling!_  
"What? I mean really?"  
"Yeah it might be not so bad"  
I smiled widely. I felt so relieved that he wasn't actually angry.  
"Cool! I'll go now! See you tomorrow Haru!"  
"Right, see you Rin"


	2. Bad Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is so short I can't even make a summary out of it

The next days went by swiftly. I would meet with Haru at the pool and would stay there training until evening as always, and then we would head home. The coach acted like the discussion of the other day never happened, and I was quite relived by it. The only thing that still creeped me out about that man, was that sometimes I had the impression he looked at Haru or me way too much, but I thought I was just imagining things.  
I wasn't.  
One morning as soon as I woke up I almost fell face on the floor, if it wasn't for my sister who promptly grabbed me from my shirt  
"Gee big bro, you just got up and you're already making a mess? Isn't it a bit too early in the morning?"  
She said while yawning and scratching her eyes.  
"Heh sorry Gou.."  
I went into the kitchen and grabbed a piece of bread and put it into the toaster, and then I lost myself watching television, still half asleep, until  
"Rin-chan what's this smell?"  
I was awakend by my mom's words and I immediately understood what happened: the bread.  
"Damn what's up with me this morning?" I hissed to myself while getting what once was bread out of the toaster and into the trashcan. I sighed.  
The rest of the day was bad: I kept forgetting things, making stuff fall, and I had a bad feeling during the whole day, like something bad was going to happen. I headed to the pool, hoping to not have forgot anything, and wishing that my day would get a turn for the better.

  
"Hey Rin what's with that long face today? Did you have a fight with Nanase again?"  
Some of the kids around snickered  
"Very funny but no, thanks for the concern"  
"Hey come on cheer up! I was just joking!"  
"Yeah I know, sorry, it's just a bad day..."  
"Kay, well later!"  
"Yeah..."  
_I'm so tense that I'm getting irritated from stupid stuff like that, I really have to calm down--_  
"Did we have a fight?"  
I reflexively jumped one step behind, only to smack my back against the lockers, I looked before me just to meet with the ocean blue that where Haru's eyes  
"Ow.. The hell is wrong with you coming out all of the sudden?"  
"Rin are you alright?"  
"I seem alright to you? My back hurts now, I hoped the day would've gotten better, but it seems like is just getting worse!"  
I said angrily while throwing my stuff in my locker to head to the pool with Haru tailing me.  
"What do you mean?"  
I exhaled a big breath and stopped on my tracks.  
_I'm being as stupid as always, I can't just treat him like this_  
"Sorry, it's just that it's since I put a foot out of the bed this morning that unpleasant stuff keeps happening to me, and I have a feeling like something really bad is going to happen, just I don't know..."  
I looked up, only to meet with Haru's preoccupied stare  
"Don't worry! I'm sure that by tomorrow everything will be okay!"  
I said smiling, more to myself than to him, and then got back on my tracks to participate the lesson.

  
Luckily while swimming any accidents happen so I had a chance to calm down a little bit, but the bad feeling kept pestering me. It wouldn't just go away, and I didn't know if to be scared or annoyed by it.  
It the meantime the lesson ended, and we went into the locker room to get changed. I was taking the stuff I needed to get a shower when Haru called out to me  
"Rin"  
"Mh?"  
"I forgot my goggles in the pool"  
"So?"  
"I'll go grab them"  
"Ok?"  
A moment of silence followed. I was about to go away to get in the shower when  
"Rin wait for me. Don't go home alone."  
I was quite surprised by his affirmation. I turned to face him, just to see that he still had the preoccupied face from before on  
"Ok.."  
"Good."  
And with that he headed towards the pool to take what he forgot. I was quite dumbfounded by him, but I guess he was just preoccupied for me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time stuff will happen and I'll manage to write longer chapters.
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and comments you leave, it really encourages me and I really appreciate it!


	3. Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains underage rape, so if you don't like this kind of thing you shouldn't probably read this chapter. I think that even without reading this one you can still understand the stori in the next ones, so do as you prefere.  
> Thanks again for all the kudos and the comments!

My shower took longer than usual, but I did so that Haru had time to catch up with me, but when I got out of the shower there was no trace of him. At that point there were really a few people, in the changing room too, it was quite late, at this hour we usually would have been halfway home.  
"Hey you guys, have you seen Haru anywhere?"  
"The guy who never talks? Nope, last time I saw him was when we were swimming"  
"Same goes for me"  
None had seen him.

 

I put on my clothes and prepared my bag.  
_Did that bastard leave without me, after he making me promise to wait for him? Maybe my shower took too long and when he got back he probably didn't see me and thought that I didn't wait for him, and so he just went home_  
I was thinking for an excuse for him when I casually looked at his locker. His padlock was still on.  
We had a policy to take off our padlocks when we went home, and everyone had to bring theirs so that it was safer and more difficult for someone to steal someone's things, and Haru wasn't one to forget a thing that he did automatically almost everyday. The bad feeling rushed back to me stronger than ever.  
_Did something happen to Haru? He was going back to the pool to take his goggles last time I saw him, what could have hap--_  
I started running towards the pool and shouting his name  
P _lease tell me I'm just paranoid and nothing happend to him please, plea--_  
"RIN---"  
_That's him! That's his voice!_  
I rushed towards the broom closet, where his voice came from, only to meet with something I never thought I would see.  
There was our coach sit with his back turned towards me, I could hear him mumbling and panting hard, at first I didn't understand what he was doing exactly, but then I did.  
Haru was on the man's lap with his back pressed on the coach's chest and I could hear him making strange noises too.  
"Ya little pig, gettin' so worked up from an ol' man touchin' ya. You like this dont'cha? Ya slut.."  
Suddenly Haru made an high pitched noise and he threw his head back on the man's shoulder with his eyes shut. The teacher had a hand clamped on Haru's mouth to keep him quiet. I was standing on the entrance of the room with my mouth hanging open when Haru slowly opened his eyes with his head still thrown back, and as soon as he saw me I gazed at his face contorting in what I thought was pain, and a single tear flowed out of his left eye onto his cheek only to lose itself in his hair.  
I was boiling with anger. How could someone break down the impassible Haru, to the point to make him cry? I looked around me, and I grabbed one of the brooms they use for cleaning up, I positioned myself behind the bastard holding the broom high over me. I saw Haru's eyes going wide, and then I crashed with all my might the broomstick on the coach's head.  
Both of his hands left Haru's body to grab his head in pain. I took hold of Haru's arm and pulled him away  
"Ya stupid kid! Ya'll pay for this!"  
I didn't even look back, I was just thinking about running away to take him to a safe place. We rushed into the changing room, where no one was there anymore, I unleashed my grip on him, to push some lockers in front of the door to prevent the coach from entering, and some seconds after I did that we heard the man pounding on the door to open it. I ignored him and got back to Haru, he didn't move an inch from where I put him, he was just standing looking down.  
"Oi Haru this is not the time to be shocked please! You have to be fast get some clothes on so we can get away from this damn place!"  
I grabbed him from his shoulders  
"Haru look at me"  
I shook his shoulder and repeated with an higher and firmer voice  
"Haru look at me!"  
He tore his eyes off the ground and looked into mine. He seemed so scared, I could not blame him, but now it wasn't the right time to be, we had to be fast and escape. With a calmer voice while looking into his dark blue irises I kept talking  
"Haru please, we have to get away you understand? We have to go home, you promised that you'd walk until the crossroads with me right?"  
I was smiling, but I could feel tears washing down my face. But that seemed to bring back Haru, he hurried to get his locker open and put on some clothes over his dirtied swimsuit. I grabbed onto my bag and waited for him near the emergency exit wiping away the tears that unwillingly had fallen from my eyes. Only then I noticed that the banging noise on the door was long gone.  
_Did he go away?_  
Haru was beside me in a few minutes, I opened the door and got ourselves outside.

 As the door closed, I was thrown into the ground in an instant, I smacked my head, loosing counciousness for a few seconds, but my eyes flew back open as I felt something wet trailing my chest. The coach was pinning me down on the ground keeping my hands over my head with one of his, while the other was palming every inch of my body, he had pulled my shirt up and was now tracing my chest with his dirty tongue. Shouting would have been useless. We were behind the building, no houses where around there, and at that time of the evening there wasn't anybody around.

I was making the same noises Haru was making before in the broom closet  
_At this point there was no way I can save myself, but Haru, he can still escape!_  
The man stopped from licking my chest and looked at me  
"So what does feel better? Whatchin' yer friend bein' raped, or bein' raped knowin' that yer friend is watchin' ya?"  
I was boiling with anger once again but this time I couldn't move, I looked at him straight in his eyes and spit into one of his eyes. He touched the eye I spit in, looked at me with a crooked smile, and then punched me in the stomach. My eyes and mouth flung open, I couldn't breathe for some seconds. I heard Haru shout my name. As soon as I regained capacity to speak I used all the strength I had left to shout  
"RUN AWAY HARU!"  
The man started laughing  
"Oh? Not only we've a bitchy personality, but even a noble one? I got a real nice couple o' kids here!"  
I looked at Haru, I didn't notice when they started, but tears were flowing down my face once again  
"Please.."  
I whispered referring to him  
His face contorted a bit, but then he turned his back and ran away. I was relived.  
_He suffered enough because of this guy, he doesn't have to go through more of this..._  
"Aww what? Yo friend left already? I thought I could have fun with both of ya, well whatever, I'll have more fun with ya.."  
He started unbuttoning my pants, his face was flushed and he was drooling. I was scared. I was so damn scared. I shut my eyes, and he was palming my lower body, and started on licking and sucking my chest again. I wasn't able to control nor my body or my voice anymore, but nevertheless I could feel the sensation of that man touching me. And I hated it.  
_Help me please... I want to go away..._  
Suddenly the pervert stopped his movements and flopped down onto me. The next thing I felt was that someone hugged me from behind and pulled me away from under there. My face was being smacked lightly by someone and that someone was calling my name  
"Rin, oi Rin! Rin! Come back Rin please..."  
It was Haru  
"You idiot... what are you doing here?"  
"Rin! Are you ok?"  
"Obviously, who do you think am I?"  
I said while coughing, my voice was hoarse, probably because of the blow to the stomach I recived.  
"You're not ok don't be-"  
Haru stopped mid-sentence, and pushed me away, making me fall on my back, I looked up at him with the intent of asking him why he did that, but what I saw was a sufficient answer. He recived a blow right on his left cheek, and fell on the ground coughing up blood. Our coach was standing in front of him with his fist still clenched. My hand grabbed onto something. It was a tree branch, it was quite wide too. I picked it up and without thinking twice about it I charged it into the man's stomach. He fell on his knees grabbing his belly, he looked at me with hate  
"Ya fuckin' bit-"  
Without letting him finish his sentence I, once again, smacked the tree branch onto his head making him fall face on the ground. I didn't know if he was dead or if he just fainted. I didn't care. I just grabbed Haru's arm with a hand and with the other I took our bags and then I began running.


	4. It's My Fault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mostly fluff and Haru being harsh on himself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, I just started reading the High Speed novel and I've come to the realization that the Haru and the Rin I created are terribly ooc. I don't know if I'll be able to fix but I'll try, sorry about it!   
> Anyway, as always thanks for all the kudos and comments and everything! They make me wanna give my best and they make me really flushy-gushy (?)   
> Oh right, from now on there shouldn't be any trigger elements for a while, so everyone's good now.

Rin's grip on my arm was strong. He was pulling me, running with all his might. My face was hurting a lot, my nose and lip were bleeding. I looked behind, it seemed that the man wasn't following us. Rin suddenly came to a and I almost crashed on his back. He was huffing and puffing, and he just stood trying to take his breath for some seconds, then

"Wanna stay at my house?"

He was still breathing unevenly, probably it was because of the blow to the stomach too

"I can't, not looking like this"

"Well, I can't either... I'll stick with you for some time, if you're ok with it."

"Sure."

At that I took my bag from his hand and begun walking towards my house, with him behind me.

 

When we got at my house I put our bags near the laundry-room and then I came back to Rin

"Hey can I use your phone to call home? My mom is probably dead worried"

He requested while scratching the back of his head

"Go ahead, I'll go take a bath in the meantime, you can take one after"

"Good, thanks"

He gave me one of his cheeky grins and then he headed to the phone. I turned my heels and moved in direction of the bathroom, but I stopped in my traks once I heard Rin talking

"... Mom calm down, it's me not Haru... Y-yeah don't worry it's good... I just forgot to call you, that's all... Yeah, yeah, anyway, do you mind if I stay at Haru's for some time?... Because he's home alone, I told you didn't I? His parents went on an holiday... N-no don't worry! There's no need! If I do need something I'll come to take it don't worry!... Thanks mom, love you, say hi to Gou for me... Yeah, night.."

He put down the phone and I, as stealthy as possible, I went back on my tracks to the bathroom.

 

I felt sticky everywhere. It was like the touch of that bastard was imprinted inside my body. I started scrubbing myself with all my might util it hurt.

_Why us?_  

The question echoed through my head. I couldn't thing about anything else. I felt overwhelmed by sorrow, I hugged my knees and put my forehead on them.

_It's my fault, it's all my fault. If I hadn't forgotten my goggles in the first place nothing would have happened, I'm so stupid_  

I was angry with myself. I stood up and went in front of the mirror over the sink. My left cheek was a bit swollen. I touched it with disgust. It still hurt. I took some heavy breaths to calm down, I put my clothes on and went downstairs to call Rin.

He was snoozing off on the table, I smiled at that sight. He was drooling a bit too. I kneeled beside him, I was about to move some hair from his face, when a thought struck me

_If I didn't have him promise to wait for me, he would've went home. Nothing would've happened to him. What happend to Rin it's my fault._

I stood up, without touching him.

"Rin, Rin!"

He woke up slowly

"I get it, I get it... No need to shout!"

He got up scrubbing his eyes and directed towards the bathroom. I went to the kitchen with the intention of preparing something to eat.

 

"Hey~ What are you making?"

I got startled by hearing Rin's voice so suddenly

"When did you get here?"

I heard him coming closer

"Just now~"

He got right next to me and I turned to look at him, just to see that he was just wearing a towel around his waist.

"Why aren't you wearing any clothes?"

He pouted

"Damn I expected a better reaction"

"Rin, I see you half naked, like, everyday"

Rin was now looking at me grinning like an idiot

"What?"

"So you like it?"

"What?"

His face grew closer to mine, he still had that knowing grin plastered all over his face

"Watching me half naked"

I opened my mouth to say something, but then I shut it and turned towards the boiling pot in front of me.

"Nanase~ c'mon say it~ Haruka~"

He was half singing and while he did that he started pinching me. I beared it for some time and then I tried to change argument

"Rin"

He jumped up straight, smiling

"Yeah?"

"Are you hungry?"

His smile dropped and now he had an annoyed face

"No, am not"

I didn't feel hungry either, so I put the fish soup I prepared in the fridge.

"Get in my bedroom, I'll lend you some clothes"

"'Kay"

I grabbed some medicines and put them in a sack, and then I went to the laundry-room to put the clothing that was in our swim-bags in the washing machine.

_What will he think of me now? It's because of me that both of us ended in that situation. He'll probably hate me... I'm so stupid_  

I threw the last pieces of clothing in the machine, and started it.

I entered my room holding tightly in my fist the sack with the medicaments for us in. Rin was holding a photo in his hands, it was taken some time before, in the picture there was me, him, Makoto and Nagisa. It was taken after we won a competition together. They were all so happy on that day, and I had so much fun too, even if it didn't really show in the picture.

Rin took a notice of me.

"Oh you're back. Remember this day? Man, it was great.."

He said with a bittersweet smile nodding in direction of the photo. I approached him.

"Yeah it was... I wonder when we'll have another occasion to swim together like that..."

"Yeah... Hey what's in that bag?"

"Meds"

"Oh good! Have you got like some bandages in there?"

"I think so, why do you ask?"

"My head is bleeding a little, probably as a result of smacking it on the ground because of that bastard..."

My grip on the bag tightened.

"Sit on the bed, I'll treat you"

"There's no need I'll do it!"

"Sit."

My tone was firm. He looked a little startled from my sudden serious attitude.

"O-okay"

He sat leg crossed on the bed I got behind him on my knees and started treating his head wound

"Ouch, that burns"

"It should burn"

The cut wasn't that big, but the bleeding didn't look like it would stop any soon, so I decided to do as he said and put a bandage around his head.

"Done"

He turned around facing me, and smiled.

"How do I look?"

His hair was a bit of a mess because of the headband, he had some standing and some completly flat

_I am not really good at this, am I?_

He held his head high, proudly, unkowing of the chaos that was his hair.

"As stupid as always"

He pouted.

"You're always so harsh Nanase~"

I rolled my eyes and turned my head on the side, showing him the left side of my face.

"How's your cheek?"

His tone was suddently dead serious.

"It's good, I just had a little nosebleed, that's all-"

He lightly pressed a finger on it without warning. Out of reflex I moved my head away and hissed.

"Haru, stop putting on a strong face"

"Fine..."

Rin searched for something in the bag, and in the end he pulled out a cream. He touched my chin with one hand and turned my head to the side

"Here stay like this"

He begun smearing cream on my bruise. His touch was so light and delicate, that if it wasn't for the coolness of the cream, I wouldn't even notice that he was touching me.

"How's your belly instead"

"It's fine"

"Tch..."

"What's that?"

"Who's putting on a strong face now?"

Rin finished treating me. He was chuckling, while closing the cream tube and putting it in its place.

"So you do have a sense of humor huh?"

"Always had it, it's just better than yours"

He cleaned his hand from the cream on the towel still around his waist, while laughing

"Yeah right, so you gonna give me some clothes or nah?"

I got up and grabbed a pair of boxers, a t-shirt and some shorts that were much like the ones I had on. I gave everything to him and stood on the doorway looking at him.

"You're gonna keep watching me while I change, or can I have some privacy?"

My face flushed a bit, and he snickered. I turned on my heels, heading downstairs, but before taking a step I ordered him

"When you get changed come downstairs, I'll give you something for your belly"


	5. It's Not Your Fault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin and Haru clear some things out. [fluff ensues]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the support! I really love writing this fic (even tho im lazy af and it takes me a lot of time to write and review a chapter) and I hope you're enjoying reading it as well.  
> Comments and kudos make me feel alive.  
> Let me know if you see any mistakes!

I went to the kitchen and put a pot with some water in on the stove. After a minute I heard Rin coming downstairs, and with the corner of my eyes I saw him sitting on the floor of the living room's porch. Suddenly he exclaimed, startled.

"What-?!"

I turned to his direction to see what happened, only to notice that a black cat had made his way on Rin's lap, and was now purring.

"Oh you're here."

I muttered while opening the fridge to take some mackerel to feed him.

"Is this cat yours?"

Asked Rin, while gently patting the cat's head.

"Not really, but he comes here almost everyday."

I walked back, towards them and put a plate with some mackerel in on the floor. The feline jumped off Rin's lap, to eat, and I sat beside the cat, so that he was eating between us. I absentmindedly petted him, and Rin giggled

"Sharing your precious mackerel with someone else? That's a rare sight!"

He joked.

"Cats are an exception..."

"Oow, am I not?"

He said with an overly devastated voice and pouting.

"Why would you be?"

"Cause you like me Nanase~"

Asserted Rin, batting his lashes.

"I do not."

He assumed an offended face.

"That was cruel... Come on, not even one bit?"

"Just, shut up."

He giggled again. We spent some minutes just staying silent and watching the sky, while the cat feasted on the fish, that soon enough disappeared. And so did the cat.

 

"Haru..."

His tone was serious.

"we have to do something about what happened..."

I watched him from my peripheral vision, and noticed that he was clenching his fists so much that his knuckles were turning white.

"...before it ever happens again."

I was scared of talking about it.

_I just would like to forget everything that happened_

"What do you wanna do?"

I tried asking, even if I didn't really want to hear the answer.

"At least we gotta denounce him to the police"

I felt my stomach clenching.

_Don't do that... Everyone will know..._

"Haru?"

"Don't"

"Wh-"

I glared at him and said with a firmer tone.

"Don't."

Rin kept quite for some seconds staring at me, and then he just asked:

"Why?"

_Why? Because if everyone knows what happened... They won't ever watch us nor talk to us in the same way as they did before..._

I heard him sigh. His tone was now calm, almost sweet.

"Haru, are you scared of what everyone else will think of us?"

My eyes were blown wide.

_How did he--_

"I am too."

Silence hung between us again. My eyes were fixated on the ground, but I could feel Rin's piercing me.

"How can you say that in such a calm way?"

"I am not calm, Haru..."

His voice was quivering.

_Is he crying?_

I dared to turn my head in his direction. He was not crying, but trembling. He looked at me right into my eyes,

and I found myself attracted to his stare, I couldn't bring myself to look away. In that moment, his eyes looked like two burning flames.

"I am filled with anger, embarrassment, and disgust, and I would like to just lock myself in my room and never get out again! Because of this I want to denounce that bastard so that nor Makoto, or Nagisa, or anyone will have to feel something like this!"

He was almost shouting. I teared my eyes away from his and my stare to the ground.

_I'm sorry..._

He took a long breath.

"I'm sorry, it's just tha--"

"You shouldn't be. It's my fault not yours."

Rin kept quiet for a moment and then he talked in an oblivious tone.

"What are you saying? That's not true."

"IT IS!"

Now I was the one yelling.

_I shouldn't be saying this_

"EVERY THING THAT HAPPEND TODAY WAS MY FAULT!"

I hid my face behind my hands.

"If I just hadn't been so stupid to forget my goggles behind nothing would have happened!"

I felt myself crumble. I had never been an emotional person, and I tended to keep everything to myself, but in that moment I couldn't stop myself, emotions and words flowed out of me without control.

"H-Haru it's not your fault, it's that pervert's, don't-"

"If I hadn't made you promise to wait for me, you wouldn't have come to search for me. At least you would be ok now, but instead... I'm sorry Rin, I'm so sorry... What happened to you is all my fault!"

Hearing Rin trying to protect me was like a stab to my heart. I had selfishly forced Haru to comfort me, even after what happened, and I felt guilty because of it.

Tears were flowing down my face out of control. I heard Rin shifting his position, but I didn't have the courage to look at him.

_He probably realized that what I said is true, and now he's gonna hate me... He's probably going home... I'm so s-_

Suddenly I felt something warm around me. I pulled away my hands from my face, to see that Rin was hugging me.

"R-Rin, wha-?"

"SHUT UP!"

He seemed angry, but his embrace tightened on me.

"IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT, HARU! OK? NOT YOURS, NOT MINE. ITS THAT DAMN GUY'S FAULT FOR BEING THE PERVERT THAT HE IS! UNDERSTAND?"

"But you wouldn't have come to-"

"YES, I WOULD HAVE COME TO SEARCH FOR YOU, HARU, EVEN IF YOU HADN'T MADE ME PROMISE TO WAIT FOR YOU!"

He put his forehead on my shoulder and pressed himself closer to me.

"I could never abandon you... You're my friend Haru... You're my precious friend..."

His voice dropped, and trembled while saying those last words, I felt my hoodie getting wet where he put his head on.

I was astonished, I was at loss of words and I didn't know what to do. It was the first time that someone was hugging me that way, and his last his words still echoed in my mind.

_I'm his precious friend...?_

I felt a new wave of tears hitting me. Even if we bickered all the time when we're together he thought of me as his _precious friend._

My body moved on its own, automatically, stretching my arms forward to grab Rin from his shirt, and putting my forehead on his collarbone. He was sobbing quietly on my shoulder and I was doing the same, my tears wetting his chest.

Even though we were both crying our hearts out, a part of me felt weirdly happy.

I had never felt as close to someone as in that moment.

 

When our tears finally came to a stop we didn't move from that position. We just sat there, hugging, like it was the last time we would see each other.

_Thanks, Rin._

Those words didn't reach my mouth, but I could feel echoing in my mind.

"Oi, Haru"

Rin broke the silence first.

"Mmh?"

"You may be comfortable with your butt on the floor, but my legs are not."

I became aware of the position he has been: he had his legs around my tights, his back arched forward so that his arms rounded my back, and he wasn't sitting on my legs but he was keeping himself up with the strength of his legs only.

_Well, actually it doesn't seem really comfortable..._

I released him from my hug.

"...sorry"

He got up, looked at me and gave me one of the kindest and most gorgeous smiles I've ever seen from him, it made my heart skip a beat. I looked away to hide a tiny blush that reached my cheeks, and got up.

"I'll go prepare the thing for your belly..."

As I was going in the kitchen I heard him whisper to himself.

"Damn, why am I so stupid?"

I smiled.

 

I brought him a rubber bag with hot water in, and he eyed it suspiciously.

"What is that?"

"There's hot water in. My mom prepares it every time I have a stomachache, and it always manages to make the pain go away for some reason. I thought it might help softening the pain a bit. You just have to keep it on your belly."

"Oh, alright. Thanks, I guess?"

He said smirking, nevertheless he put the bag on his belly.

I sat once again next to him. We didn't talk we just stayed there next to each other looking at nothing in specific.

I felt extremely relaxed in that moment. I'd confessed what was troubling me to Rin, and felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my chest, and Rin being understanding and reassuring me affirming that what had happened wasn't my fault, made me feel even more glad.

 

I was gradually getting more and more sleepy, to the point I thought I was about to actually fall asleep on the porch, when I felt Rin's head touching my shoulder and I got a startled from it

"O-oi Rin wha-...?"

I shut my mouth as soon as I noticed that Rin was sleeping. His breathing was even and his brows were slightly furrowed, as if he was having a bad dream, some of his hair was covering the right half of his sleeping face. He was holding tightly onto the bag I prepared for him.

I moved as lightly as I could some of the hair that was over his cheek, in response he grunted, held the heating bag closer and stroked his head on my shoulder.

I stiffened up. He was so close.

I tried to clear my voice and to call his name lightly to wake him, but it didn't work. I didn't want to wake him brusquely, after a day like that at least one should be able to sleep peacefully, but I couldn't even leave him to sleep on the porch. The only choice I had, was carrying him over to the bedroom. I moved ever so gently and slowly to not wake him up. I put an arm under his knees, and one supporting his shoulders. Result: I was carrying him bridal style.

_If he wakes up now he'll probably punch me._

I carried him swiftly to my room, with him holding for dear life onto the bag I prepared for him, and me, awaiting for a punch the moment he opened his eyes, but that, luckily, didn't happen. I laid him down on my bed and I sat next to his head staring out of the window for a while, until he started mumbling quietly

"N-no, don't... not... Haru..."

He was now moving around frantically.

_Maybe he's having a nightmare about what happened today._

"I-it's okay now, Rin. You're safe."

I tried whispering to him. But it didn't seem to have any effects.

_What do I do? I'm not good at this stuff..._

I remembered that when I was little, my parents used to pat me on my back or my head to calm me down when I had a bad dream or I got scared of something.

_It's worth a try._

I gently put my hand on Rin's head and after a bit of petting, he actually calmed down.

"Haru..."

"I'm here"

I murmured half yawning. I was getting sleepy too. I lied myself down next to Rin and pulled the light sheets over us. Looking at the ceiling I listened to Rin's even breathing, that was slowly lulling me to sleep. I turned my head to watch him, and his face was right in front of mine. His mouth was slightly parted, through it I could see some of his inhumanly sharp teeth, his brows now were relaxed, but he still had some red bangs covering his face. The only thing that went through my mind while looking at him in that moment was:

_Beautiful._

My hand moved on his own. It approached Rin's cheek and caressed it, slowly. His skin was soft and smooth. I traced his rosy lips with a fingertip, but that probably tickled him, cause his brows furrowed once again.

I thought that that woke him up, so panicking I swiftly brought my hand back and faced the ceiling, shutting my eyes and holding my breath. He didn't make any more movements, so I cautiously looked at him from the corner of my eyes. He was still sleeping.

_Why did I do that? What's wrong with me?_

I blushed, and I took a big breath to calm myself down. Closing my eyes once again, this time with the intent of actually falling asleep, I murmured.

"Good night, Rin."

Soon after I was sleeping.

 


	6. Tickles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two brats playing around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for all the kudos you leave! I'm glad you're enjoying this sick story lol.

_Damn, why is it so hot here?_

That was the first thought I had as I woke up. I parted slightly my eyelids and after some seconds I managed to put n focus what was in front of me.

_Uh? What's this?_

My line of sight showed me what seemed to be a neck, and directing my eyes downward I could see my hand clamped on the sweatshirt of the person in front of me.

_What the heck is going on here?_

I let go of the fabric in my hand, and as soon as I did the person in front of me spoke:

"Oh you're awake, finally."

Despite what he had just said his tone didn't seem the one of an annoyed person, and it didn't take me much time to recognize it.

"Haru, what is going on?"

"You tell me, I'm stuck..."

I noticed that, in fact, he had an arm under my shoulders and without me moving first he wouldn't have been able to move it, but his other arm, that was over my torso wasn't stuck at all. I looked up at him and coincidentally he was already looking down. I felt all the blood rush to my face, and panicking I pushed myself away looking away from him.

_This stuff first in the morning is not good..._

I got I glimpse of Haru's eyes and he seemed, displeased? But the next moment he threw himself up, sitting on his bed, facing his back to me.

_Must have been my imagination-_

"Are you hungry?"

"Y-yeah, a bit."

"Then I'll go prepare breakfast."

He was already up on his feet when I threw myself up.

"Wait up Haru! I'll help you!"

Without thinking I got on my knees and grabbed a sleeve of his sweatshirt to stop him, and he actually did, turning his head in my direction, but after just a glance he turned away once again.

"Pfft."

"What is it?"

I asked dumbfounded letting go of his sleeve, and sitting my back on my legs.

"Your hair."

"Huh?"

"It's funny."

I touched my head, and the bandages he put on the day before were partially undone. I got up and headed to the bathroom to go check myself in the mirror, and as I did, I snickered at myself while trying to adjust the mess that was my hair.

"This is one bed head."

I joked. Noticing Haru's presence by the door I questioned him.

"Do you think that I still have to keep the bandages or not?"

He leaned his back on the wall.

"I think you can take it off. Need a hand?"

"No, thanks, the job is practically half done anyway."

I undid the bandages and placed them next to the sink, to touch the scratch on the back of my head. It didn't hurt, and it seemed like the bleeding had stopped, but without the gauze on my head, my hair was even messier than before.

"You have a hair pin, or something?"

"Let me check."

Which that he went out of the bathroom, leaving me trying to cope with my hair. He came back soon after, and he showed me a pair of shocking pink hair pins. I looked him in the eyes and expressionlessly declared.

"You are kidding."

"No."

I gave a big breath and grabbed the pins, muttering to myself.

"Guess I'll have to cope with this..."

"When you're finished come downstairs to eat."

"Got it."

  
  


After some intense struggle I managed to get my hair away from my face, and found out that that color doesn't look bad on me. I went downstairs as ordered and sat on the tatami at the table table.

"What are you making?"

"Eggs and rice."

"Traditionalist, aren't we?"

"What would you like to eat?"

"Don't know, just toasted bread with something on would be fine."

He put a couple of bowls with the food on the table and stated:

"Another day."

He looked up at me, and for a second I admired his eyes going wide, but soon after he threw his sight back on the plate in front of him.

_Is he blushing? This is an amazing opportunity to make fun of him!_

Thinking so, I rested my chin on my hands and stared at him with a cruel grin.

"You overwhelmed by my fabulousness, Nanase~?"

He didn't answer and started eating instead, without looking in my direction.

"Nanase~ c'mon, what you think of me?"

I lulled, leaning forward. At first he didn't respond, then, watching me from behind his hair bangs, he breathed loud enough for me to hear.

"Y-you look cute..."

My mouth was hanging open.

_Huh? W-what did he just say? M-my hearing is not good today probably. There's no way he said that._

He kept staring downwards, but I could swear there was a tip of red on his cheeks.

_No way. Did he actually say that? That's the only thing that could explain the blush... What's this guy thinking?_

I cleared my voice and grabbing my sticks, before starting to eat I mumbled an clumsy 'thanks' to Haru.

An awkward silence hung for a long time between the two of us. And during this time I couldn't keep myself from thinking about what to do.

_We should definitely call the police to make them arrest that pervert. But what should we say to them? That we've been raped? What if they don't believe us and think it's a prank? Maybe they'll ask for our names, and everyone will know about what happened..._

_No, no, no, definitely it won't happen. I mean, if a child calls the police saying that he's been raped even if he doesn't reveal his identity they would at least investigate..._

Without realizing I had finished my meal, and Haru promptly grabbed our plates, put them into the sink, and once again he sat in front of me.

_It's now or never again._

"Haru, we... We should call the police!"

He freezed on the spot, without giving an answer so I kept talking trying to reassure him.

"We can stay anonymous, and I'll do the talking, if you're okay with it?"

He kept quiet for a while, I was about to open my mouth again when he responded.

"Alright."

I could feel uneasiness in his voice, but just the fact that he agreed to do this was a great sign.

I gave a relived breath, and smiled. I put my hand over his, trying to reassure him a bit.

"I'm here with you Haru."

He looked up at me and gifted me with one of his rare smiles, that for how tiny, it was to me it was extremely precious other, and that just made myself grin even more widely.

He got up to grab the phone, and then he sat beside me giving it to me. I took a big breath, and then I made the police number waiting for a response on the other end of the line.

" _Hello, this is the police station, how can I help you?"_

A female voice finally answered.

"Um hi, I-We would like to report a person..."

" _Ok, dear, would you tell me what crimes has this person committed?"_

_Seeing at how she talks now she's probably aware that I'm a child._

"...He raped us."

" _...Ok, you know where this person is?_ "

"How would I know!"

Haru gave me a preoccupied stare.

_I have to calm myself down._

" _And so where did you last see him?_ "

"At the Iwatobi swimming pool."

" _... Ok, would you like to give us your names and location so we can send help there?_ "

"No! T-there's no need!"

" _... Dear, I'm sorry but if we don't have any actual proof we can't do anything against him, and seeing the victims is a proof._ "

"You won't do anything, if you don't have any proofs..."

I was astonished.

_It makes sense, but now there's no way we can stay anonymous._

I got back to reality when I felt the phone being grabbed from my hand.

"What do you mean you won't do anything? It's your work, do something!"

Haru was now talking angrily to the policewoman.

" _Dear, this is a serious situation. Rape is a very serious crime, and we can't just go arrest someone for something like it without any proof..._ "

"You want proof? Well, go to the broom closet near the swimming pool there you'll find your proof on the floor!"

He was almost shouting now, his hand was holding tightly the phone, so much that it may have ended in pieces in any moment.

"And if that's not enough, go search for the substitute swimming coach himself, he should have some photos on his phone that show what he did!"

_He even took photos of him...?_

"Haru..."

_I didn't know..._

I couldn't believe what he just said, and I felt awful for having him tell such things to a complete stranger, because I wasn't able to persuade her to investigate.

" _... Ok thanks for your collaboration, we'll investigate. Have a good d-_ "

He hanged the phone before she could end her phrase and slammed it on the table. It was a miracle that it didn't broke.

His fists were still clenched when he laid his head on them. His figure was slightly quivering.

"Haru, what do you mean when you say he has pics on his phone?"

I could barely control my tone of voice.

Haru didn't move his head while talking to me, to prevent me from looking at his face.

"He took them... Before you came, to save me..."

His voice was trembling. Once again Haru had lost his stoic coolness because of that bastard. I couldn't contain my fury anymore. I slammed my fist against the table and stood up abruptly. Haru looked up at me, startled, and cautiously asked.

"Rin, what-?"

"I'll make him pay."

I didn't let him finish his sentence I was boiling with anger and I couldn't calm myself. I took a few steps towards the entrance door with the intention of finding the coach and crush his phone on his stupid face, when a leg of my shorts was grabbed by Haru.

"Rin, stop! Don't do anything stupid, we did the right thing calling the police as you suggested!"

He got up and positioned himself in front with his arms spread open of me to prevent me from going outside.

"But if the police sees those photos they'll know who you are!"

He shook his head.

"Don't think so."

I gave him questioning stare, and he bitterly answered to my silent question.

"Well, I think he took pictures of something else, rather than my face..."

I opened my mouth to say something, but then I closed it. I dug my nails in my hands' skin, and I saw before me Haru directing his head downwards and, some seconds later a tear fell on the ground in front of him.

I couldn't stand anymore the sight of him crying. It wasn't a normal thing. He wasn't one to show his emotions out in the wild. Him doing so would only mean that the pain that he was feeling was unbearable even for a person as strong as him.

Without thinking twice about it I hugged him, putting my face on his chest.

"Rin?"

"Would you shut up? I'm trying to calm down here..."

It wasn't completely a lie, in fact I was trying to cool my head, but I did it because I thought that he probably didn't like people seeing him so emotional. He sniffed, and hugged me back, after a little while he even started patting circles on my back.

It actually helped me cool off.

  
  


We stayed like that for some minutes, until I tried to change argument, to get our minds off that.

"Nanase,"

"Mmh?"

"You got any games we can play with?"

"No."

I took a hold of his shoulders, lifted my head and looked him in the eyes.

"Really?"

"Yes."

I sighed and then turned around, letting his shoulders go.

"Oh man, you're so boring... Oh!"

"What?"

I looked at him with a sly grin an while slowly moving towards the stairs that lead to the upper floor.

"I was just wondering what the cold, diffident and silent Haruka Nanase would... Hide under his bed!"

At the last bit of the sentence I dashed up the stairs, headed to his bedroom.

"WAIT, RIN DON'T!"

I could hear him running after me, but I was already on the floor with a arm under his bed searching for something, and as he slammed open the door I grasped something that seemed to be a book and took it out from his original spot. When he saw what I was holding his eyes glinted, as if he was saying: 'Don't you dare open it.' and that was exactly why now I was even more curious t know what was in there.

"I wonder what kind of stuff you hide under here..."

As I was about to open it he got on top of me, making me fall on my back, and grabbed my arm.

"Rin, give it back!"

To free myself I tickled him with my free arm on his belly, that was right over my face, but I never thought that it would be effective to the point to make him completely back away from me. I looked at him astonished.

"Don't tell me..."

"On no..."

He tried to get up and run away, but I took a hold of him around his waist, and threw him on the bed. He backed away from me, cornering himself. By now I completely forgot the book, that now laid on the ground.

"This is your end Nanase"

I menacingly said, before tickling him under his armpits.

"No, please... Rin!"

He was agitating and squirming and he unconsciously slid under me. I obviously took advantage of that by pulling up his sweater and tickling him on his belly and chest. His cheeks grew red and I could almost hear a faint laugh in his voice.

"Rin... St-Stop!"

In a split second he grabbed my arm and pulled it making me fall face on the bed, he swiftly sat himself over my butt and he put his hands over my back to stop my movements. He stayed like that taking his breath until, while still gaping for air, he said.

"Rin... Aren't you... ticklish too?"

I looked back at him wide-eyed.

"How do you kn-?!"

He put his hands under my shirt tickling my back, I arched myself trying to break free some way, but him sitting on top of me prevented any escape route. His hands reached my armpits and I squirmed and convulsed under him, unable to control my laugh or my body anymore.

Some way or another, I ended up with my back on the bed facing him, he was now tickling my chest, that was, as far as I knew, my most sensible place to tickling, and of course he noticed it. He completely pulled up my shirt, against my efforts to put it back down, and tickled my chest mercilessly.

I was out of breath from laughing non-stop, I laughed so much that I was even crying because of it. Haru probably seeing me so out of breath and defenseless lowered his guard, giving me the golden opportunity to tickle him under his armpit. That resulted on him attaching his arm to his sides, out of reflex, consequently loosing balance and falling on top of me. I was so out of breath that I didn't even try to tickle him anymore.

He put his forearms beside my head and pulled himself up a bit, so that our faces were one right in front of the other. We were both panting quite hard.

I closed my eyes and let out a laughed once again.

 


	7. Little Pecks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin has a very hard time keeping a straight face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why hello there~   
> I'm so very sorry that I'm so slow with the updates, but i never find the will to write lately for some reason, and I find myself at the end/beginning of each month writing the soul out of my body (?) I don't even know.   
> I'm quite sleep deprived so there may be some mistakes, so if you find any please let me know and I'll fix them as soon as possible!  
> once again thanks for all the kudos and the lovely comments I'm reciving! you really make my day with them, I wish I could hug you all as thanks!

"You... are... an asshole... Rin..."

Haru asserted, while still catching his breath. I giggled and opened my eyes to look at him.

He had some drops of sweat on his forehead and his eyes had a deeper and darker shade of blue than usual, his lips were slightly parted catch his breath back, and the tip of his nose lightly brushed against mine.

I gulped at this sight before me. I put a hand on the nape of his neck.

"Rin?"

I bit my lower lip.

_Why do I want to kiss him? He probably doesn't want to, he'll very likely hit me if I do that..._

Giving a small sigh I pulled myself up a bit and kissed him on his right cheek.

I dropped my head on the bed once again, keeping my hand on the back of his neck.

"Damn, when you'll grow up you'll probably have girls all around you."

Obliviously as always, he retorted

"Why would I?"

"Are you kidding?" I snorted "You're handsome and lots of chicks are into guys with an attitude like yours, for some reason... You're like the ultimate playboy!"

I asserted proudly, as if I was talking about myself.

"But, I don't want them... I'm fine like this."

"Yeah right, and what about kissing and stuff? Never thought about that stuff?"

"But still... Your first kiss should be with someone you hold dear, and not some random girl."

"Oooh? So you do think about that stuff!"

I giggled and in response he 'tch'ed me.

"What about you, ever thought about your first kiss?"

I unconsciously let out a sigh while staring at his blue-pit-like eyes.

"Yeah..."

Suddenly silence fell upon us as we just kept staring into each other's orbits, without moving from our positions.

"Rin..."

Haru broke the silence. It may have been just an impression, but to me his voice seemed deeper than usual.

"Mmh?"

"You wanna... Kiss me?"

He mumbled the last part of the sentence, but I was perfectly able to hear it anyway.

My eyes blew wide and the first thing that came out of my mouth was a very intelligent:

"What?"

He sighed and then he put his head on the nape of my neck. At that point I thought that something was up.

"Are you ok Haru?"

"Yeah..."

Even if something was actually up, it didn't seem like he was in the mood to talk about it, so I just dropped the

argument.

Using the index finger of the hand that was on his neck I started curling up some of his hair. I always thought that his hair had a strange colour, I mean, I'm not one to talk, but he wasn't either: normally his hair would look black, but when wet or under a particular bright light it looked dark blue, and it always amazed me seeing in which occasions its colour would change.

 

I turned my head to look outside the window and stared at the clear blue sky.

_It must me really hot outside today, I wonder how can he stand being in a sweater._

While thinking about Haru's clothing choices I realized that the shirt I was wearing was still pulled up all the

way to my chest, but honestly I didn't particularly mind it. It wasn't cold, and even if it was, Haru was working

as a perfect blanket.

 

I could smell chlorine from Haru's hair.

_This guy stays so much in the pool that even smells like one._

I heard his breathing become more and more regular.

_Don't tell me he dozed off like this?_

His weight was pretty much the same as mine, so it didn't bother me to have him sleeping over myself, but I felt somewhat uncomfortable.

I looked down at him. He was resting his head on my chest and he held tightly in his left hand some of my shirt's fabric, his eyes were closed and his small, light lips were shut together. At that moment I noticed that he had particularly long lashes, but even if normally it would have been seen as a girlish feature I thought it suited him.

 

I was getting sleepy myself, but as soon as I thought that sleep had completely caught me, I heard Haru murmuring in his sleep.

"...like you..."

My eyes flung open and looked at him, alarmed. His stance wasn't any different since last time I looked at him.

_Did I dream that?_

He groaned quietly, and moved the hand on my chest at my side, pulling himself further on top of me, stopping my breath for a second with his weight.

_I swear, if he's doing this on purpose I'll kill him._

But his face, definitely looked like the one of someone who's actually asleep.

I smacked a hand in my face.

_Why me?_

 

 

Something was insistently puckering at my cheek, I groaned annoyed, turning my head in the opposite direction.

"Rin"

I let out a breath, trying to ignore him, but it didn't affect him.

"Rin."

He called my name again, an pinched lightly my cheek.

I covered It with my palm and sluggishly answered him

"What?"

"I'm stuck."

_This again?_

"And so?"

"You are keeping me stuck."

I slowly opened my eyes, and while stroking one I inquired him

"You still there?"

The only change in his stance was that now he had propped himself up on his elbow, but he was sill over me.

"I'm still here because of you..."

He answered tilting his head in the direction of one of my arms, that ended up circling his back.

"Ops..."

I moved it, placing it over my face. I could hear (and feel) him shifting on the bed and sitting himself near my side.

"What time is it? I feel like I've slept for an entire day..."

"...Almost 6p.m."

"What?!"

I threw myself up on my forearms.

"We didn't even have lunch!"

I looked over at Haru dramatically, but ended up turning my the opposite direction, while covering my mouth to hide my laughter.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, it's probably my fault, but now it's your hair that's messy."

He looked up, touching his head and got out of the room, probably headed to the bathroom to check it. In the meantime I sat myself on the edge of the bed stretching my limbs.

"How exactly did you manage to do this to my hair?"

He interrogated in a voice loud enough that so that I could hear him from the bathroom, and I responded in an equally loud voice.

"I kinda played with it a bit, I guess I twirled it too much, sorry!"

He came back in the room some seconds later.

"Whatever, I can't put it back in place..."

He crossed his arms and looked at me with his usual deadpan look.

"Wanna have dinner?"

I jumped up on my feet and exclaimed

"Totally!"

 

 

"Mackerel again?"

I sighed in defeat, before placing my hands together as thanks, and then digging in the food in front of me.

"I don't have any meat, and even if I had, I don't know any recipe for it."

"Then I'll teach you!"

I declared eagerly, gulping on piece of fish, and putting a hand on my chest proudly.

"Alright..."

"But, wow, I have to admit, that even if you cook always the same thing, your food is one of the best I've ever eaten!"

I admitted after chomping on another piece of food.

"T-Thanks."

Waah I made him blush!

Smiling at myself I kept eating the delicious dish in front of me.

 

 

We were sitting on the porch, as the day before, when the black cat paid us another visit.

"Haru, don't you think you're feeding him too much?"

"Why?"

He asked coming back with a plate with some fish on, and placing it in front of the cat.

"I don't know, don't you think he has gotten fatter?"

He stared at the cat for a while, before answering.

"You may be right, but I only feed him in the evening, so I don't think it's completely my fault."

I giggled.

"Yeah, probably... Oh anyway, thanks for the belly-thing you made for me, it actually worked and now it doesn't hurt anymore!"

"I'm glad."

He said, staring at the cat.

"How are you instead?"

I questioned, checking out the side of his face that was hurt, that had a slightly darker colour than the rest of his face. He covered it with his palm.

"Except for the livid on my cheek, I'm good."

"You mean it still hurts?"

I asked preoccupied.

"If I press on it hard enough yeah."

As he said this, he teasingly poked his cheek with his finger and frowned for a second before pulling it away.

I sighed, and then pulled myself towards him, and kissed him on his hurt cheek light enough not to hurt him. As soon as I did it I realized what an embarrassing thing I just did, and I turned my head away flustered.

"Why did you do that?"

"I- M-My mom says It helps the pain go away -kissing the place where you get hurt- so I thought it was a good idea..."

I mumbled agitatedly.

"You already kissed me before."

Suddenly I remembered that that afternoon, I indeed had already kissed him, and I covered my face with my hands to hide my gigantic blush.

"T-That was for another reason!"

_Why did I say that? Now He's definitely going to ask me why I did that before!_

"Which is?"

_See? Rin you are an idiot!_

"I- it just seemed like the right moment, I guess..."

_Again? Rin what's up with those answers?!_

I ruffled my hair, enraged with myself.

"Rin..."

Hearing my name being called I directed my head towards Haru, who had a strangely serious face.

"Do you want to kiss me?"

_I think I'm about to explode._

I couldn't see my face, but I was sure by now it had the same colour of my hair.

_What do I do? Is he mocking me? Is he serious? Why is this guy so impassible?_

"I-I uuh... Maybe, i-it's not a good idea..."

I played with my hands, trying to let out some of the tension that was building up.

"I mean... You said you should do stuff like this only with someone you hold dear, right? And we're good friends now, b-but it's not like, you like me or something..."

I let out a nervous laughter.

_Finally a decent answer. Good job, me._

"Rin..."

He called my name once again. I gulped loudly, and then returned his stare.

_Is he angry? Is he glaring at me? Why cant I read this guy at all?!_

While I was panicking internally, Haru abruptly stood up, turning his back to me.

"I'll go to take a bath and then go to sleep, if you want, you can take one after I'm done."

I followed his back with my eyes, until it disappeared behind the door that leaded to the stairs. As soon as he did, I let out a breath, that I didn't realize I was holding, and I let myself fall on the floor.

_I need help._

 


End file.
